Updated on February 28th, at 10:30: Sega has confirmed to Kotaku that the game is indeed in development. In a statement, the publisher said:

"At this time, Sega is able to confirm that we are working on a new mobile game titled Sonic Dash."

"We have not announced any specific details on the product but we will be releasing additional information on this exciting, new game in the near future."

Plus, our friends at Pocket Gamer France have found out that the game is indeed an auto-runner, in the same vein as Rayman Jungle Run.

Original story follows...

Just four months after the release of Hardlight's maiden iOS game, Sonic Jump, it appears that iPhone- and iPad-wielding fans of Sonic The Hedgehog are going to be indulged once again.

Eagle-eyed members of The Sonic Stadium team spotted a reference to the as-yet-unannounced "Sonic Dash" in a number of job listings for Hardlight on social networking site LinkedIn.

The references to the mysterious Sonic Dash in all four of the job adverts, including this here one, have subsequently been removed. Presumably once Hardlight realised its mistake. And fired someone.

Sonic boom

In a November 2012 interview with UK toy trade magazine Toys 'n' Playthings, head of brand licensing (Europe) at Sega Sissel Henno confirmed that Sega "will have several new digital titles launching as well as a new boxed game" over the next year.

It looks likely, then, that Sonic Dash will be the first of this year's new batch of Sonic games for mobile. And with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed racing onto iOS in the not-too-distant future (hopefully!), it looks like 2013 is going to be a good year for Sonic supporters on iOS.

Although we only have a name to go on, by the way, we presume that Sonic Dash will be an endless-runner. After all, running is what the Blue Blur does best.